Muhammara

Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper And Walnut Dip)
one pound red bell peppers, roasted until blackened
1/2 cup walnuts
2 Tablespoons bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon pomegranate molasses
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chili paste
salt and pepper

Place the hot peppers in a plastic bag and allow to sweat for ten minutes or so. Then peel off the skin and remove seeds and core (sweating them in the bag helps the skin come off easier. An ice water bath works well for this too). Process with the walnuts, then add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Chill for at least two hours for flavors to blend. Serve with bread or crisps of any kind, or vegetables or meat. It also makes a good sauce base for pastas and pizzas, though that's not the same type of cuisine. 

Cocoa Pumpkin Bean Energy Bars

This is a healthy, sneaky energy bar recipe. It contains all good things and tastes sort of like a fudgey brownie. I added in cranberries and walnuts for more texture. The base of these bars is a puréed can of beans, providing protein and fiber, along with pumpkin (which you can't taste) and peanut butter. Honey and applesauce add sweetness and cinnamon and ginger add spice. You can indulge in these tasty treats that are easy to make.

Cocoa Pumpkin Bean Energy Bars
1 can (540mL) white beans
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup honey
2 Tablespoons smooth natural peanut butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats (processed, if desired, for a smoother texture)
2 Tablespoons unsweetned cocoa powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350◦F. Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
In a food processor, process the beans until smooth. Add in the oats if desired for a smoother texture. Blend in the remaining ingredients in the order given. Mix well. Bake for about 30 minutes until bars are set. They will still be soft. Cool completely and refrigerate before cutting.

Date and Walnut Oatmeal

Dates and walnuts. They are just one of the classic, no-fail, always tasty combinations. They can be paired with other foods as well, but i would be happy with a handful of dates and walnuts. They are used in a lot of recipes, specially healthy dessert recipes, energy bars, and no bake brownies. Walnuts can be ground and used as a "flour" and dates can be puréed and used as a sweetened paste for sugar and/or eggs.

This is a simple bowl of microwaved oatmeal, which I jazzed up with some walnuts, dates, and a hint of cinnamon. Doesn't look like much, but these two simple ingredients add flavor, crunch, sweetness, and chewiness - welcome textures to oatmeal! This is one of my "baked" oatmeal recipes - all ingredients are combined and microwaved, creating a dryer, firmer oatmeal. This is different than my overnight oatmeals, which aren't cooked at all and tend to be a bit runnier.